


Breathe

by Avistella



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, Gender-neutral Reader, Hurt/Comfort, Literature Trade, M/M, POV Second Person, Reader Is Not MC, Reader-Insert, Spoilers for Secret 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-24 02:50:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9696413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avistella/pseuds/Avistella
Summary: You would always be there for V, no matter what.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Literature trade for [@cookiekiller02 on Tumblr](https://cookiekiller02.tumblr.com/)  
> If you're interested in a literature trade with me, feel free to hit me up!

You didn't think that falling in love with your childhood friend would be so painful. You didn't think that you'd feel so bitter towards yourself when you realized that you weren't the one for the freelance photographer. You thought that you would feel hatred towards the woman that V fell for, but you couldn't. Sure, jealousy and envy settled deep in your heart, but never hatred. After all, Rika was V's sun, and you just couldn't find it in yourself to hate her whenever you saw how happy V was around her. ...That was until she had blinded him.

When you found out, you were absolutely _livid_. How couldn't you be? V was a photographer and loved being one. How could he continue doing what he enjoyed without his eyesight? Rika took it all from you. She took V. His love. His eyes. His joy. You were fine with having V's love taken, but you couldn't forgive the young woman for ever taking away the photographer's joy from him himself. Even if V insisted that it was just an accident, you couldn't believe that. 

You spent so long regretting your decision to leave the couple alone. Had you realized just how _toxic_ the young woman was towards V, you would have intervened, no matter how much V might have protested. Even now, after a whole year since the photographer informed the RFA of Rika's suicide, V still couldn't let go of her, much to your chagrin.

* * *

"Why won't you get the surgery?!" You raised the volume of your voice as frustration grew more and more in your heart. Just how many times did you have to go through this argument, trying to convince V to fix his eyes before it was too late? Just how much longer will the two of you have to keep on hurting each other like this?

V only stood there quietly, refusing to answer your question. You exhaled shakily, taking a step back as you tentatively asked, "Is it because of Rika?" That seemed to get a reaction from the young man, and you scowled. " _Why_?! Rika is _dead_ , V! You have no reason to blind yourself for a _memory_! What's more important to you? A memory, or us? You could always make _new_ memories with us, so _why_ do you turn yourself away from us?!"

"That's..."

You couldn't take it anymore. "Fine then! If you want to stay in Rika's memory, then so be it!" You spoke with a certain finality in your voice that made V dread the worst. You turned on your heel to leave, feeling far too frustrated at the young man and at yourself to stay a moment there any longer.

"W-Wait—!" V tried to reach out for you, and in his haste, he tripped over his own feet and went crashing onto the floor.

The sound had caused you to stop in your tracks and run back to the photographer. You knelt down to help him back up. "Are you—"

"Don't leave me," V whimpered, effectively cutting your question of concern off as he tightly clutched onto your shirt. Your eyes widened at this sudden display of vulnerability. "Don't leave me too. Please... You, Jumin, and the RFA are all that I have left. I can't lose you too, please... Please... Not you too, _please_..."

You took a sharp inhale of breath, tears prickling at the corner of your eyes as V continued with his desperate pleads. He looked so worn down and broken. Just what burdens did this young man carry by himself to reduce him to such a state? V wasn't like this before when you were younger. He used to always be so full of smiles... Rika had changed him, but despite all that, V was still V, and you loved him for everything that he was and ever will be.

"I won't leave you..." you whispered reassuring to the photographer as you wrapped your arms around his trembling form. "I'll always be by your side, just like how I've always been. Even if the world abandons you, or if you abandon the world, I'll stay with you. Always and forever, Jihyun."

* * *

The first thing that registers in V's mind as he's slowly roused from his sleep is how cold he felt. Well, everything except his hand. Why was his hand so warm? No, first of all, where was he? The photographer's eyelids slowly flutter open, but it's futile. He can no longer see, so the young man tries to discern where he is by using his other senses instead, and it doesn't take long for him to realize that he's in a hospital.

V tries to sit up but then feels a gentle tug on his hand. Somebody's hand is encased around his own, but the young man can't tell whose it belongs to. A friend, perhaps? It offered comfort and helped settle the anxiety bubbling in his chest. V carefully squeezed the hand, and he heard shifting on the bed. Was the person lying on the bed, sleeping, while waiting for him to wake up?

"Jihyun!" Your familiar voice gasped out, reaching V's ears. "You're awake, oh thank god!"

Your voice is trembling, and so is your hand still wrapped around his. Guilt starts to rise in V's chest. He had caused you to worry. He had scared you. Amidst all these troubling thoughts, however, there is one thought in particular that sticks out to him the most. No, perhaps it would have been better to call it a memory. A promise you made to V before everything with Rika and Mint Eye spiraled into a mess.

"You kept your promise." It's the first thing V whispers out, and you tilt your head to the side, confused. When he's met with silence, the young man continues to explain. "You stayed by my side."

"Of course!" You exclaim loudly, causing V to jump slightly from surprise. You apologize quickly before speaking again except with a much more appropriate volume. "No matter what you might think Jihyun, you're not alone. I told you, I'll always stay by your side. If Rika was your sun, then let me be the air around you."

The photographer remains quiet for a moment, contemplating your words. "That's...not something you need to ask. You always were. Your support and kindness was always around me, even if I never took notice of it. And...I won't deny that you're somebody that I need." A light but self-deprecating laugh escapes V's lips. "I'm sorry I've been such a horrible friend as of late."

You squeezed V's hand. "You have never been a horrible friend, and I don't think you ever will be."

The young man can't help but laugh at your reassuring words, but this laughter was...different. It was completely free and devoid of whatever heavy emotions V had to suffer. "Thank you for staying by my side."

The smile he offers you is so radiant, you can't help but want to lean in closer to admire it. V tenses for a moment in surprise when he suddenly feels you rest your forehead against his own, but the warmth brings him comfort and is welcoming. He leans against closer to you too, his free hand groping around for your other one. As soon as he finds it, he interlaces his fingers with yours, and the two of you sit there in a peaceful silence, appreciating each other's presence.


End file.
